


Funhouses Designed for Lovers

by hushroom



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Amusement Parks, Awkward Flirting, Confessions, Crushes, Developing Relationship, Gen, Love Confessions, M/M, Vacation, is it flirting? do they know how to talk??
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-12
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:55:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25853215
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hushroom/pseuds/hushroom
Summary: Kurapika, Leorio, Gon, and Killua take a brief detour for relaxation after leaving Kukuroo Mountian. Kurapika finds himself distracted by more than just his search for revenge.This was a commissioned work! Contact and commission info is on my twitter: @avpolagenda
Relationships: Gon Freecs & Kurapika & Leorio Paladiknight & Killua Zoldyck, Kurapika/Leorio Paladiknight
Comments: 7
Kudos: 58





	Funhouses Designed for Lovers

Kurapika pushed the door of the taxi shut with his hip after the rest of their group filed out. He ruffled through the generous stack of bills in his wallet and handed over a few to the driver. The driver quickly thanked him and pulled back onto the street, blending into the rest of the cars. They’d had to try several cab companies to get out of the forest around Kukuroo Mountain—legends kept locals away from the estate’s high walls out of fear. However, the group finally got ahold of one driver after promising they had Hunters’ salaries and no connection to the Zoldyck family inside. _Well_ , Leorio had reasoned. _It’s not like they would know Killua’s a Zoldyck anyways_.

On the long drive over, Gon had marveled at the vast carpet of trees around them, and Killua insisted that they could stay in Padokea for a few days. Leorio had steadfastly agreed and Kurapika didn’t object over Gon’s excitement. As they stepped onto the street, a collective realization came over the group. 

“Where’s the closest hotel, Killua?” asked Leorio quietly, leaning down. 

“I have no idea where we are.”

“We’ll find a guide somewhere,” sighed Kurapika. “And we can stay at a nice hotel since we have Hunter’s salaries.”

Gon grinned brightly, and he set down the street with Killua. 

“I guess he remembered,” said Leorio. 

“Doesn’t matter, as long as we find a map,” said Kurapika. They realized the driver had dropped them off in a shopping district, and only had to search for a few minutes until they found a kiosk. Gon was intrigued by the man offering them a cheap tour of the city, but Kurapika pulled him away after securing a brochure. 

“ _Historic Awua Hotel_ sounds promising,” said Kurapika, reading from the map. They followed the colorful map a short distance until they reached a building with a grand facade nestled in the city’s financial district. Kurapika watched a woman in a sweeping dress step out of a limousine that sped over to the curb in front of the hotel. 

“Ah, I guess we don’t need this,” said Kurapika, storing the map in his pocket. “Killua can show us around.”

“It’s not like I’ve been here that often,” Killua sighed sourly. He crossed his arms defensively. “I spend most of my time on the mountain.”

“Killua, there’s a fountain!” cried Gon from inside. The boy noticed his companion was missing from his side and quickly sped through the doors. As Kurapika and Leorio followed, they entered into a gilded room with ceilings that rose up like a church. The fountain itself was big enough to be considered a lake, with statues on all sides spurting water into the basin. A decorative piece rose from the center, water falling down the stone in torrents. The well-manicured woman at the equally opulent mahogany front desk looked up over her glasses as the group arrived. 

“Do you have a reservation?” she asked in a level voice. 

“Uh, no, but we’re Hunters,” smiled Leorio. The woman didn’t shift, fingers still tapping on the computer keys. Leorio frowned and slapped his license onto the desk, and the receptionist spared it a glance. 

“We don’t accept that kind of card here,” she said. Kurapika stepped forward, depositing Leorio’s license back in his hand as he steamed. 

“That means we can afford a suite,” said Kurapika. “Try swiping it through your machine.”

The woman gingerly passed Kurapika’s card through the scanner and waited a moment before smiling. 

“Of course. We have some rooms open; would you like to make a choice?”

Leorio still stewed as they left the front desk for the elevators. 

“She knows what a Hunter is,” he muttered. “What does she think she’s pulling?”

Killua rolled his eyes before turning his intent onto Gon’s excitement about the building. Kurapika led the way down the winding halls outside the elevator into a room that matched the rest of the building’s luxury. Dropping his briefcase onto the ground, Leorio collapsed onto the first bed he reached. The kids made quick work of exploring the hotel room’s lounge, multiple bedrooms, and massive bathroom before returning to where Kurapika sat beside Leorio. His small sunglasses rested next to him on the sheets.

“What are you doing?” asked Killua as Gon whipped the curtains open.

“Resting,” groaned Leorio, cracking one eye open.

“Didn’t we just rest in the car?”

Gon arrived at Killua’s side, wearing a cheeky smile.

“That’s different,” said Leorio.

“Do you need a nap before we go in for the early bird special?” prodded Killua. Leorio stared at the ceiling for a moment before jumping to his feet, his extra height pulling him forward with the momentum.

“Where to first?” asked Leorio flintily. 

“I think we passed a big park on the way here,” said Gon, hand on his chin in thought. Leorio led the way out the door and back onto the street. Killua once again asserted he didn’t know the city, but the group eventually stumbled onto a vast expanse of green. They assumed their usual positions with Kurapika and Leorio, walking together a few paces behind the kids.

“Are you feeling okay?” blurted Leorio from behind Kurapika once Killua and Gon had gotten far enough away, practicing how far they could jump over one another. Kurapika jumped, before realizing he was gnawing on his bottom lip in thought.

“Of course,” said Kurapika. “Why?”

“Well, you seemed out of focus when we were training, and now even more so.”

Kurapika twitched under Leorio’s heavy gaze from behind his glasses.

“It’s nothing.”

Leorio righted himself, observing his habit of bending down to talk to others again. Kurapika tried to decipher the look on his face before a familiar shout brought both of their attentions elsewhere.

“This is really popular in Padokea,” explained Killua as Kurapika and Leorio caught up to them. They had stopped beside a food vendor, who was slicing pieces of meat from a massive drumstick.

“It’s a species of large flightless bird that destroys crops, so most farmers hunt them and sell the meat,” Killua continued as he handed a bowl filled with meat and peppers to Gon. Leorio had gone ahead and ordered two more dishes, handing one to Kurapika.

“It’s really good!” exclaimed Leorio, mouth full. He quickly stabbed into more pieces with his plastic fork. Kurapika took a bite and nodded appreciatively. Styrofoam bowls still in hand, Killua and Gon kept moving down the park’s branching paths. Leorio struggled with his briefcase under one arm as he refused to stop eating when they walked, and Kurapika took dignified bites of his own food as Leorio’s pace lagged.

There were no markers in the large plaza, but they seemed to exit from a row of food vendors to an area with performers. They stooped on a short stone wall to eat in front of a woman balancing on a pole ten feet in the air who had drawn a large crowd.

“I think everyone in the exam could’ve done that,” said Leorio dismissively.

“Do you want to trade places?” asked Kurapika. He smirked over the lip of his bowl when Leorio shot him a glare.

“Well, I’m saying Killua or Gon probably could, and they’re half her age,” said Leorio, waving one hand.

“You could hurt your hip if you fell,” piped up Killua after hearing his name. Leorio hunched over the last few scraps in his bowl.

“That’s how he is,” muttered Kurapika. “You shouldn’t let it get to you.”

“He hasn’t— _gotten_ to me,” said Leorio. “I’m totally calm.”

Kurapika offered him a rare smile, hidden beneath the fringe of his hair as he stood.

“Oh, it’s getting late already,” pouted Gon. Rays of orange filtered between the buildings around the park to stripe the grass and dapple the trees.

“Almost nine,” Leorio observed as he checked his watch. “I’m fine with tucking in early.”

“I want to do a whole lot more tomorrow,” said Killua. Gon brightened up and began grilling the other boy for information on the city.

“I told you, I don’t know!” exclaimed Killua after several minutes. He crossed his arms tightly and turned so Gon wouldn’t see his smile. He caught Kurapika’s gaze and rolled his eyes.

Back in the hotel, Kurapika glanced into the foggy bathroom mirror as he toweled his hair and sighed. What Hisoka said to him… It kept rattling around in his thoughts and drowning out everything else. He closed his eyes. Agreeing to stay in the city for a few days may have been a poor choice. He picked up his smock from the counter and headed into his and Leorio’s shared room.

Leorio faced the window, tugging his dress shirt over his head. He’d thrown his blazer towards the bed and hadn’t bothered to pick it up when it slid to the floor. Kurapika made a _tsk_ sound, and Leorio glanced behind him.

“It’s just a shirt,” Leorio said as he tossed the article onto some piece of floor opposite the blazer. Kurapika sidled past him and pulled the curtains facing the dark sky and glowing city below them shut.

“Right,” said Leorio, futilely covering his chest with one arm. “Relax, Kurapika.”

Kurapika leaned down for his blazer and sighed. Leorio took it, still bashful, and their fingers brushed together. Kurapika quickly retreated to his bed. He watched Leorio dig through his deceptively extensive briefcase. The other man was surprisingly hairless, considering he refused to shave any of his struggling facial hair. He selected a pair of pajamas, and Kurapika had to cover his mouth with one hand.

“That’s very…” trailed off Kurapika. Leorio looked up, squinting without his glasses, as he waited for Kurapika to finish. “Uh, I didn’t expect you to have pajamas like that.”

They were all white besides dark trim, buttoned up to the lapel where some of his chest was still visible. Leorio had neatly cuffed the hemmed sleeves after he put it on.

“They’re comfortable.”

“Just don’t let the kids see you in that.”

“Like I care what a twelve-year-old thinks of me,” pouted Leorio. He sat down wearily on his mattress, and the springs creaked. “What do you want to do tomorrow?”

“I just let Killua pick,” said Kurapika. “Who just follows what Gon wants. I did see an amusement park in that guide.”

“Sounds nice enough,” said Leorio. “I didn’t take you to be one to like roller coasters.”

“I’ve never been.”

“Me neither,” said Leorio. He glanced up, head in one hand and wearing a dastardly grin. “Don’t get scared and want to hold my hand, though.”

“Good night,” said Kurapika, shutting off the lamp and leaving Leorio smiling smugly to himself. 

The next morning, Killua and Gon quickly decided on the amusement park. They fit themselves into a small taxi that sputtered dangerously on right turns. After a few near misses, the cab dropped them off a few miles outside the city. The towering roller coasters were visible above the squat entryway, and every few seconds, a chorus of screams rose up when one of the cars hit a harsh dive. Kurapika had chosen a simple low-necked shirt for the day and fidgeted at the hem as the group stepped into line. Still early in the morning, the trail of people moved quickly, and Leorio purchased four exorbitantly-priced fast passes with their tickets. 

Inside, Killua and Gon wordlessly agreed on a blue roller coaster with a slope so deep it seemed to move backward.

“Oh, should we just watch?” Leorio leaned over to Kurapika. “This seems like kid stuff.”

“Don’t be scared,” grinned Gon. “You can sit next to us, Leorio.”

Leorio put his hand on Gon’s head and ruffled his hair. A worker led them through the empty fast pass line to the first two cars of the coaster. Kurapika and Leorio slid behind the kids, blinking as the worker firmly lowered bars over their chests. 

“Oh, does it really go that fast?” asked Leorio. “It didn’t look like it went that fast. Are we gonna fly out?”

“Sometimes you get lifted off your seat,” Killua grinned as he craned his neck back. Gon opened his mouth in a silent exclamation of joy just as the car lurched forward. It began the slow climb, and Leorio leaned on one hand. 

“Is this when we chat or something?” he asked halfway up the slope. Kurapika snickered beside him. 

“I can see our hotel!” said Gon, pointing over the city as much as the bar restricting his arms allowed. 

“Oh, cool!”

Kurapika looked out as well, before noticing they were slowly leveling out rather than staring up. Then, they started to tilt down. As the car released from the pulleys and rattled down the ramp, Kurapika could see Leorio scrabbling for a grip on the bar. The whoops in front of them were thrown back by the wind. At one point, Kurapika thought they were upside down, but couldn’t tell as his hair always persisted into his eyes. Leorio’s head knocked harshly into his. Just as suddenly as it started, the massive track evened out and pulled back into the starting gate. 

“Awful,” commented Leorio as they stepped out. He watched a man attempt to crawl out of a car behind them and land on his back, staring at the sky in a woozy daze. 

“What’s the point?” asked Kurapika. 

“It’s cool!” cried Gon. He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, already searching for another coaster. 

“I think I jarred my neck,” groaned Leorio. He started in realization. “Oh, Kurapika, are you okay?”

Kurapika raised his hands defensively as Leorio loudly narrowed in on him. 

“You two can go get on another coaster,” said Kurapika. They wove through the crowd until only flashes of their spiky hair were visible in a line to a ride—whose goal seemed to be repeatedly falling. 

“Let me see,” said Leorio. Kurapika jolted as he realized Leorio had leaned directly over him.

“Not right in the middle of the crowd,” said Kurapika, wiggling out from beneath him. They found their way to the side of a building. Kurapika looked down as Leorio gently brushed his hair away from the side of his head. 

“Not bleeding,” said Leorio. Kurapika noticed his voice sounded different while examining him. Clinical, but still warm. “It’s already bruising, though. Hey, stop turning away.”

Kurapika was turning his head further and further, even shuffling his feet, so Leorio wouldn’t get a view of his blushing face. Leorio followed stubbornly, long fingers still buried in his hair.

“Doesn’t your head hurt too?” said Kurapika instead. 

“I’ve got a hard head,” said Leorio. Kurapika glanced up between the hair covering his face and saw Leorio’s wide smile. Kurapika scoffed and pushed his hair back into place. 

“We shouldn’t let Killua and Gon get too far,” said Kurapika.

“Oh, right.”

They wandered back to the ride and found the kids still in the line, near the front. Gon seemed to be speaking to Killua excitedly, but they were too far away to catch any of their words. Kurapika leaned back against a railing to watch, and Leorio quickly vanished from his side. He reappeared with two cones of shaved ice. He dropped the orange one into Kurapika’s hand.

“I just guessed on flavors,” said Leorio. “I hope you like peach.”

“What’s yours?”

“Blue raspberry.”

Leorio’s lips were already stained blue, and Kurapika smirked as he bit into his cone before wincing. 

“Ah, cold,” he grimaced. Leorio licked his cone as he watched Kurapika struggle with his own.

Kurapika and Leorio drank the last dregs of flavored syrup in their paper cones as Killua, and Gon reappeared off the line. Gon’s hair stuck out from his head like always, but Killua’s messy mop matched his for once. He patted it down vigorously, raking his fingers through the strands, as they approached. 

“Have fun?” asked Kurapika. 

“It was so fast!” beamed Gon. 

“Yeah, fast,” said Killua, still trying to return his hair to its purposeful messiness. 

“Maybe a slower ride for all of us next time,” said Leorio. He tossed his cone into a nearby trash can and gazed around. “Oh, a funhouse?”

“What’s fun about it?” asked Kurapika as they stepped into line. 

“Uh, hall of mirrors, trick floors and stuff. I think,” said Leorio. 

“I think amusement parks may be made for other kinds of people,” said Kurapika.

“I’m having fun,” Gon piped up as they arrived at the revolving, cylindrical tunnel of an entryway. 

“That’s great,” smiled Leorio. “Oh, God.”

The interior of the funhouse partitioned erratically into different hallways, none identical but all in confusing arrays of colors. Leorio placed his hands on his hips in wonder. 

“Let’s split up,” said Killua quickly. 

“Really?” asked Kurapika. 

“It will be fun,” said Killua. “We can meet up at the end.”

“So much for doing the next one together,” said Leorio as Killua and Gon took off without waiting to hear their complaints. They took the leftmost tunnel, one striped with neon colors that seemed to bulge out of the wallpaper. 

“Middle or right?” said Leorio. Kurapika pointed between the tunnels a couple of times, counting in his head, and Leorio chuckled. He chose the right tunnel and Leorio followed closely. The flashing lights and close quarters soon opened up into a room divided by an array of mirrors. Kurapika’s reflection bounced back at him dozens of times, making it impossible to see the edges of the room. Leorio carefully toed forward, using his foot to see if an invisible pane of glass was blocking the way.

“We should go this way,” said Kurapika after a moment, pointing to the left.

“How do you know?” asked Leorio. His foot tapped into another pane of glass.

“If you stay against one wall, eventually you’ll get out of the maze,” said Kurapika.

“I don’t think this is really that big,” said Leorio. Kurapika went left, leaving Leorio feeling along a partition of mirrors. Even as he stepped away, left hand out to trace the wall, Kurapika kept seeing Leorio cast back at him on all sides. After a few minutes, Kurapika couldn’t help but feeling that he was walking in circles.

“Leorio?” he called.

“Over here,” Leorio’s distinct voice answered. Kurapika looked out in the direction the sound came from into a blank section of glass. He sighed and pressed his hand on the wall again. As he walked, he couldn’t tell if Leorio was getting any closer. His reflection became visible every once in a while, all at once nearby and far away, always with his brows furrowed. At once, the pane Kurapika was leaning against fell away as the hall opened up, and Kurapika went with it. He thought he had plummeted into another wall until it staggered and arms wrapped around him. Kurapika glanced up, finding Leorio’s face close to his as the other man staggered under his sudden weight. They only blinked at one another for a moment, the only movement their chests heaving with exertion.

“Uh, hey,” said Leorio. Kurapika, trance broken, twisted out of Leorio’s grasp and stepped by him. Leorio rubbed at the back of his neck as he followed Kurapika down the path once again.

“That’s the exit!” said Leorio suddenly. They turned a corner to face a slide painting with a swirling rainbow down the long tunnel. Kurapika sighed as the carnival music picked up, and Leorio grabbed his arm as he approached the slide.

“What?” asked Kurapika. Leorio, face red and chewing on his bottom lip, slowly drew close to him once more, and Kurapika felt riveted to the floor. He was inches away now, bent down, and searching Kurapika’s eyes over his glasses.

“I don’t know how to… what to…” Leorio stammered. He closed his eyes and bumped his lips into Kurapika’s, after failing to find the words for another moment. He fell away quickly, defensively stiffening up as he waited for Kurapika’s reaction.

Kurapika grabbed the lapels of his blazer and pulled Leorio swiftly down, setting a searing kiss on his lips this time. Leorio had no time to react before Kurapika jerked back like he’d been stung.

“I can’t do this right now,” said Kurapika, gazing anywhere besides Leorio’s face. The other man’s large hands fidgeted over one another.

“I… I’m sorry, I thought you…”

“I do, I think,” said Kurapika. “But, you know when Hisoka told me something at the end of the Hunter exam?”

A pause before Leorio said: “Well, I didn’t think it would be him.”

“I’m serious,” said Kurapika. “It was about the Spiders. I let myself lose focus. I’m so close to getting them back.”

Leorio stood upright, fully sobered.

“Don’t you know we’re here to help you?” said Leorio. Kurapika risked a glance at him again. Leorio wore a shaky smile and his cheeks still burned with embarrassment.

“I know you have to study, and I have to get to the auction in Yorknew city,” said Kurapika. Leorio rubbed his chin in dramatized thought.

“Not too far,” said Leorio. “Plus, I might’ve been heading that way anyway.”

Kurapika gave a weak smile, confliction still dancing in his eyes. He took Leorio’s hand, and the other man swung him forward, maneuvering them both to the ground. Leorio’s hips connected loudly with the plastic slide, and Kurapika landed on top of him just as heavily. 

“This is okay, right?” asked Leorio. Kurapika twisted around in the other man’s lap and placed a clumsy kiss on his cheek. 

“We’ll talk more later,” said Kurapika, and Leorio pushed them down the swirling slide. The colors gradually blended into long streaks that weaved up and around them, cradling the pair in a cloister of plastic. Kurapika felt Leorio’s hands tight on his waist just as the slide veered to the side and the ball pit at the bottom became visible. They sped towards the bright pit, where Killua and Gon probably waited, but for now Kurapika and Leorio felt the breeze as they slid down and laughed with carelessness neither had felt in a long time.


End file.
